A Chat with The Disarmed (03.09.22)
Influenced by the likes of Alice In Chains, Iron Maiden and Soundgarden, US-based The Disarmed has a sound that is hard-hitting, dynamic and filled with nostalgia (along with a contemporary freshness). We speak with Bobby Kooiman (guitar and lead vocals), Doug Hair (bass) and Morgan Harris (guitar) about their new album, compliments, musical inspiration and future plans.
OSR: What drew you to music?
Harris: My dad is an avid and passionate record collector. All sorts of genres from all different decades – rap, metal, punk, folk, country, you name it. That all really rubbed off on me and my love for music. At some point, it went from wanting all of those records to wanting to be on records.
Kooiman: Honestly, I’ve always loved music which grew into putting my thoughts and feelings into songs that I hoped other people would find meaning in as well.
OSR: What inspires you to make music?
Kooiman: Songs can invoke emotion in others and are also like snapshots of your life. You can listen back to the music you wrote and remember things that were happening in your life at the time.
Harris: It’s an unmatched experience to make something when there was nothing before you picked up your instrument. And it’s even more amazing when you can do that with friends. It gives me a high I haven’t stopped chasing.
OSR: What can you tell us about your album What We Leave?
Kooiman: What We Leave is about personal growth, our effect on the world and others, and resilience. It’s got a good hard rock base but has a lot of variety – something for everyone.
Harris: Well, anybody who was a fan before can expect a big difference in the sound of the band. We’ve explored a lot of new ideas and approaches to these new songs. And the production of this album is absolutely pristine thanks to the help of Jeremy at All Poetic Audio. Not only is his mixing and mastering a work of art but he really pushed us to make our performances tight. I think everyone in this band is absolutely proud of their performances on this record.
Hair: I’d also add the artwork and packaging put together by Jim Hughes of Northary Studio. The album looks fantastic thanks to him.
OSR: Did you have any challenges recording the album?
Hair: Recording was very challenging, but also one of the highlights of my recent life. We did 12-hour days over a few long weekends in the fall and winter of 2021/2022. Each day I was exhausted at the end, but I’m ready to do it all over again. Playing stuff over and over to get it just right, changing and improving things on the fly, and hours and hours of intense scrutiny…it’s a lot but all 100% worth it.
Kooiman: This album’s era has been the most challenging – COVID, lineup changes, finding a new studio when our original producer retired, finding several new practice spaces, etc. There were so many times we were challenged but we persevered and through it all, we were able to create something we are truly proud of.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
Kooiman: I hope people take the positive messages to heart and I also hope that people feel the influences and can find at least one song on the record that resonates with them.
Hair: I would love it if even just one single person is influenced by my part of the record, the way I have been by so many musicians myself.
OSR: Do you believe you are a unique group and what makes you unique?
Harris: I think we’re unique in the sense of putting a fresh twist on an older sound. Not that it hasn’t been done before, but I don’t hear people doing that with grunge-like we are or even the classic metal sound we take from a lot. I feel like that hasn’t been applied to the grunge sound like we’ve done.
OSR: If you had to deliver bad news, how would you do it – in person, on the phone, via carrier pigeon?
Hair: Carrier pigeon for sure. Make it weird enough that it’ll hopefully soften the blow a bit.
Kooiman: In-person communication is always the most authentic. Doing it over a call would be next. A text message or email is seemingly the least sincere or personal in my opinion.
OSR: What is the best compliment you have ever received?
Harris: If I were to pick a compliment on my playing, people have told me how much they like my down picking. If it were my looks, I want to give a shout-out to that college girl who told me she liked my butt. Still makes me feel good.
Kooiman: For me, it’s that our music can hang with today’s radio standards and has a fresh sound.
Hair: I get a lot of compliments on my stage presence and that’s my favourite. If you don’t have a good stage presence, get off the stage.
OSR: What advice do you have for new artists?
Kooiman: Continue to create. Even if it sucks, just keep going and keep creating. Do whatever it takes to do it and your art will pay you back in time.
Harris: Write, write, write. No faster way of getting to good material or even developing your sound than to just write at a furious pace.
OSR: What can we expect from The Disarmed in the future?
Harris: Hopefully, gigging out the wazoo. And only better and better albums from here on out.
Kooiman: Definitely more diverse and interesting music as we continue to progress, and shows to connect with the people that have connected with our music.
Many thanks to Bobby Kooiman, Doug Hair and Morgan Harris for speaking with us. For more from The Disarmed check out their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
